Love as Sweet as Chocolate
by VioletRose13
Summary: Pretty much everyone in the world knows the story of Willy Wonka and his famous chocolate factory… but did you know that he was once in love? This is the love story of the amazing chocolatier Willy Wonka and his childhood friend, Holly Somers.
1. Willy's First Day of School

Willy Wonka was on his way to school; it was the first day of fourth grade and he couldn't be more terrified. He almost didn't want to go to school, he was afraid of what the other students would think of him; the braces along with the headgear he wore were so big that he thought he would've been seen as a freak by the other kids. As he stood in front of the school building crowded with kids, Willy's legs were shaking underneath him.

"Have a good day at school, son. Remember to make good choices." His father, Dr. Wilbur Wonka, told him before walking away.

Willy turned his head around to respond but by the time he did, his father was already long gone.

"Thanks, dad. Thanks a lot…" He muttered to himself before letting out a frustrated sigh and crossing his arms over his chest.

He checked his wrist watch and realized that the bell was about to ring in six minutes, tops. He gasped and ran into the school, being as careful as possible not to bump into anyone (just so their clothes don't get caught in his braces). The first few periods of the day seemed like torture; Willy felt like his classmates were all laughing at him, judging him, and making fun of him behind his back and he tried to hide himself from everyone.

Then lunch came around. Willy had no one to sit with and nobody invited him to sit with them so he sat by himself. He tried to eat the lunch his father had packed for him earlier that morning (which was kind of difficult with the headgear and braces he always wore), but he didn't feel like eating anything. He felt so alone.

"Hi." An unfamiliar voice said.

Willy turned his head and saw a girl who looked to be the same age as him; she had long hazelnut brown hair that was put up into a ponytail, beautiful blue green eyes, and a splattering of freckles spread across her nose. She gave Willy a kind smile before asking him,

"Is this seat taken?"

"No." Willy shyly answered.

The girl sat beside him and said, "My name's Holly."

"I'm Willy." He said.

"Are you new here?"

"Yeah. What gave it away?"

"Nothing… just that I've never seen you before."

"It's the braces, isn't it?"

"What? No—"

"No, it's okay. I'm used to people staring at me weirdly."

"No, it's not that. I… like your headgear. I think it looks cool."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But the braces must be a pain, right?"

"You don't know the half of it. My dad is a dentist and he always insists that I wear this stuff _all the time_."

"Is your dad Dr. Wonka?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Uh… Can you keep a secret?"

"Sure."

"I think your dad… is pretty scary."

"You think so too? I thought I was the only one. Between you and me, I don't think he wants me to have any kind of fun… EVER. And these braces are certainly helping him out."

"Well, look on the bright side. At least when you're older, you'll finally get those things off."

"I doubt it. My dad will probably make me wear this until I'm 40."

"Don't worry, Willy; you'll get there. My sister, Bridget, had braces once but in a matter of time, they were finally off and she was back to normal. You will be too."

"You think so?"

"I _know_ so."

Willy had started to feel comfortable around this girl; she seemed really nice. But then a thought popped into his head.

"You don't have to do this." He said.

"Do what?" Holly asked.

"This."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't have to pretend is all I'm saying."

"Pretend? I'm not—"

"Come on; don't act so nice to me. Didn't someone _dare_ you to do this?"

"Willy! I'm not pretending, honest!"

"Then why are you sitting with me?"

"Because I want to be your friend."

Willy's eyes widened; he looked back at Holly with his eyebrows raised.

"My… friend?" He asked.

"Of course. Most of the other kids here just call me a huge weirdo and make fun of me, so I don't have a lot of friends here." Holly replied.

"You? Weird? Why would they say that about you?"

"Because… I usually spend my time daydreaming and staring off into space as well as reading brightly colored comic books and watching weird stuff on television."

"I don't find that weird; I think that's interesting. You know, everyone in town calls me weird. Besides the braces, I stare off into space and daydream too."

"Really?"

"Yep."

Holly giggled which made Willy laugh with her. During the rest of the day, Willy and Holly were together. They spent most of it talking, laughing, and joking up a storm about their thoughts and past adventures as well as daily tasks. After school, Willy had never felt so happy before. He finally had a friend.

At dinner later that night, Dr. Wonka noticed his son acting differently than usual; he raised an eyebrow at him.

"Willy? How was school?" He asked.

"School? …It was great." Willy replied. "I made a new friend. Her name is Holly."

"Holly; that's a rather unusual name. When did you meet her?"

"At lunch. She's very nice and so much fun. She and I even have a few of the same classes together."

"Really? Well, I hope I get the chance to meet her."


	2. Halloween

Willy and Holly started to hang out even more after that day. Even when they weren't at school, they would meet up anywhere they wanted and play to their hearts' content and over time, they started to become best friends. By the time eighth grade came around, Holly and Willy were as thick as thieves. Holly took some music classes while Willy took a few science courses, but they also took the very same cooking and baking classes.

Then Halloween came along. Holly was excited since it would be the very first Halloween her parents would let her go trick-or-treating without them; she wanted to dress up as Cinderella. On Halloween night, she put on her costume, grabbed her treat bag, and went out the door with an excited grin on her face. After a few hours, the night finally went quiet. By now, Holly was exhausted and ready to turn in, but not before dropping by Willy's house to say 'hi'. She knocked on the door, only to be greeted by Dr. Wonka.

"Hello… sir." Holly said nervously.

"Miss Holly Somers, I presume?" Dr. Wonka asked.

"Yes. How did you…?"

"My son has told me _a lot_ about you. I don't have any candy to give if that's what you're after."

"Oh, no. No, I'm actually here to see Willy. Is he here?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I was just going to invite him over to my place to sleep over."

"I am terribly sorry, Miss Somers, but I'm afraid I cannot allow you to do that. Willy has already gone up to bed for the night and I do not wish to disturb him."

"Oh… okay. I understand. Well, tell him I stopped by and said 'hello'."

"Of course."

"Well, goodnight. And happy Halloween."

Dr. Wonka subtly scowled at her and closed the door, leaving Holly standing on the doorstep. When she went home, she was greeted by the worried gaze of her mother, Rosalee.

"Holly, where have you been, sweetie?" She asked. "You should've been home half an hour ago. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, mom." Holly replied before setting her candy bag down and flopping down onto the sofa. "I just… had one last stop."

"Did you go to Willy Wonka's house again?"

"Yeah. But I just wanted to—"

"Holly, you know you're not supposed to go too far without telling me first."

"I know, I'm sorry. I just wanted to say 'hi' to Willy and invite him here for a sleepover, but he was already in bed… and his father said no."

"Oh. Well, maybe he could come some other time, okay?"

"Uh… sure, why not?"


	3. Become a Chocolatier

Long after Halloween was over, Holly and Willy were back to their usual routine. But after a while, Holly started to notice something about Willy. He started bringing candy and sweets (especially different kinds of chocolate) to school almost every day and he would share them with her all the time. Soon, Holly started to get concerned; she knew Dr. Wonka never allowed his only son any candy before, so why is Willy becoming obsessed with it now? After a few weeks of this odd behavior, she decided to get to the bottom of this whole thing. One day, she confronted him on the playground that stood right outside the school.

"Hey, Willy? Can I talk to you about something?" She asked.

"Of course, Holly. What is it?" Willy asked casually.

"Well, it's about your new…"

"Passion?"

"Uh, sure. Let's go with that… passion. Where are you getting all this candy? I thought your father forbade you to have any."

"He did, and he still does."

"But… when did this happen?"

"It all started the morning after Halloween. I was cleaning out the fireplace when I found something in the ashes. And guess what it was… it was a bit of chocolate from the night before. It still had its foil wrapping, so it didn't look dirty or dusty. And when my dad wasn't looking… I ate it."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. After that, I couldn't stop thinking about it. So I decided to do some research on candy. I ate as much as I could and took as many notes as I could. Look what I have so far."

Willy then pulled a small notepad out of his backpack and showed the many pages he filled to Holly. Her eyes widened as she skimmed over the words scrawled on the hundreds of pages; she looked back at her friend with a shocked expression.

"Wow, Willy… this is… this is really impressive." She said.

"Thank you. I've worked really hard on this, you know." Willy proudly commented.

"I can see that. But… what is it you're planning on doing with this information?"

"I… uh… Huh, I have no idea."

"Well, there must be a way to put all the data you've collected to good use."

Just then Holly's face lit up as she had an epiphany.

"I know! Maybe you could try to make your own candy!" She exclaimed.

"My own candy?" Willy asked.

"Yeah! You've been getting straight A's in chemistry and baking, right?"

"Yeah, so what?"

" _So_ maybe you could try making up your own recipes for your own candy and chocolate."

"You mean… become a _chocolatier_?"

"Exactly!"

"But my dad…"

"It's just an idea…"

Willy thought about it for a few moments before his eyes widened too.

"…And it's a _great_ idea!" He cried.

"Really?" Holly asked, making sure she heard him right.

"Of course! A chocolatier sounds like the PERFECT career for me! And who knows? Maybe I'll even become _famous_."

"You never know. But one more thing: if you _do_ become famous, NEVER forget about us little people… especially me."

"Forget _you_? Never! And I hope _you_ don't forget about _me_."

"You're my best friend, Willy. I would _never_ forget you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The two intertwined pinkies for a pinkie swear before looking at each other and smiling. The bell rang and the two immediately ran off of the playground and back towards the school building.


	4. Running Away

At the end of the day when he went home, Willy decided to try and create a few candy recipes. He sat at his desk for a good half hour trying to think of cool and creative sweets. But while he was in his room working, he heard his father's voice scream,

"William Wonka! Come down here right this minute!"

'That doesn't sound good.' Willy though as he slowly got up from his desk and went downstairs.

Over the next few hours, Willy and his father were arguing and yelling at each other over Willy's new obsession with candy and chocolate. His father was furious of course, but Willy stood tall.

"This is all because of that little friend of yours, isn't it? _She_ is the one who fed you these ridiculous ideas, didn't she?" Dr. Wonka shouted.

"Leave Holly out of this!" Willy yelled.

"Just as I thought! I knew she was a bad influence!"

"Ridiculous?! She's my best friend!"

"You can make _other_ friends… just not with _her_."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean from now on, you are not allowed to see her again!"

"WHAT?! You can't do that!"

"Who says I can't?"

Finally, Willy had enough.

"That's it! You can do a lot of things, but you CAN'T stop me from seeing Holly!"

"And why not?" Dr. Wonka asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"She supports me, she comforts me, she makes me laugh, she… she's the best thing that ever happened to me! Why can't you see that Holly only wants me to be happy?!"

"Happy?! William Quincy Wonka, you are spouting nonsense! Don't you understand?! Candy is a waste of time! No son of mine is going to be a chocolatier!"

"Then I'll run away to Switzerland, Bavaria; the candy capitals of the world!"

"Go ahead… but I won't be here when you come back!" Dr. Wonka said as calmly as he could.

And with that, Willy grabbed his backpack from a nearby coat rack and walked out the door in a huff. But when he came back hours later, he was shocked to see that his house had completely disappeared… along with his father. He couldn't believe it, his father said he won't be there when Willy came back; he wasn't bluffing after all. Then he remembered Holly…

Holly heard a knock at the door while she was reading one of her comics. She answered the door to see Willy standing in the door way as well as in the rain.

"Willy?" She asked.

"Hi, Holly." He solemnly replied.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"I… I ran away from home."

"What? Oh, quick. Come in before you get soaked."


	5. Sleepover at Holly's

Willy sat in front of the blazing fireplace with a warm blanket wrapped around him, Holly sitting across from him and intently listening to her friend's entire story.

"Oh, Willy. I… I'm so sorry." She said in a sympathetic tone.

"It's okay, Holly. It's not your fault, it never was." Willy said solemnly.

"But it was _my_ idea for you to become a chocolatier."

"And it was a _good_ idea."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying… that I don't care what my dad says or thinks anymore. I want to become a chocolatier whether he likes it or not!"

Holly was surprised; her friend was always so timid and frightened around his father but now, he didn't give a hoot about anything his father would say.

"Wow. Willy, I'm… impressed." She said.

"Impressed? How so?" Willy asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Willy, you stood up for something you really love and believe in… and that takes a lot of guts to do something like that, especially when it comes to someone like your father. _That's_ why I'm happily surprised by you."

"Wow… thanks, Holly. That… means a lot coming from _you_."

Holly smiled sheepishly and blushed at his comment.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go." Willy said before standing up and walking back towards the door.

"Go?" Holly asked as she quickly stood up and followed him. "Go where?"

"Anywhere. I need to find a new place to stay, of course."

"But-but-but… couldn't you stay _here_ , at least for tonight?"

Willy stopped when he reached the door; he turned around to look at Holly again who was giving him her famous puppy dog eyes.

"You… want me to stay for the night?" He asked.

"Of course." She replied. "I always wanted to have you sleep over, but we never got the chance. But now…"

"Oh, no. I wouldn't want to impose…"

"No, it's okay, honest. Hold on just one second."

Holly looked behind her and called out, "Hey, mom?"

"Yes, honey?" Holly's mother called from down the hall.

"Is it okay if Willy stays over tonight?"

"Oh, of course dear. I can make up the trundle bed if you like."

"That's okay, we can do it ourselves."

"Alright, then. Have fun, you two."

After that, Willy ended up staying at Holly's place that night. They watched movies, played games, and had a blast. But the next morning, Holly woke up to see that Willy was gone. She quickly found a note taped to her dresser mirror and it had his signature; she carefully opened the note and began to read.

" _Dear Holly,_

 _By the time you read this, I'll probably be long gone. I've decided to leave town to help my new career take off. I'm sorry for not saying anything before this, but it's just the way it has to be. I had a lot of fun last night and I'm glad I got to spend it with you. Please understand and I hope we can see each other again._

 _Until then, Willy Wonka_ "

Holly was heartbroken; her best friend was out in the big wide world all by himself… and he left without saying anything to her. She frowned as she carefully folded up the note and put it in her nightstand drawer. She then sat down on the side of her bed and stared at the carpet in silence for a good few minutes before she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in…" She said solemnly.

"Hey, sis." Holly's sister Bridget said as she peeked her head out from the doorway. "Mom said it's time for breakfast and she wants to know what you… Holly, what's wrong?"

"Huh?" Holly turned around to see her older sister giving her a concerned look. "Oh, nothing, Bridget. It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing to me. Hey, where's Willy? I thought he was sleeping over last night."

"Yeah, he was… but he left before I woke up."

"He left? How come?"

Bridget went over to the bed and sat down beside her little sister before Holly looked at her, a few tears falling down her face.

"He… left a note saying that he thought it was time for him to pursue his new career as a chocolatier. And he was going to do it by… leaving town."

Holly suddenly burst into tears; Bridget wrapped her arms around her sister in a hug to comfort her in response. Holly was distraught; she never thought that this would be the last time she would see her best friend again. But then she remembered the last passage in the note: ' _I hope we can see each other again._ '

'I hope so too…' She thought as she continued to cry.


	6. Somebody to Love

As the years went by, Holly had never gotten Willy out of her mind. She was constantly thinking about the time they spent together when they were kids. By the time she was a senior in high school, she tried to get over Willy so she could concentrate on her goal of graduation, but she couldn't. She graduated without fail but when she reached college age, she decided she didn't want to go to college at all. So she decided not to go.

By the time she was 19 years old, Holly got herself a job stocking shelves at the local grocery store and she earned enough money to get herself a nice apartment. It wasn't much, but it was all she had. Then her 20th birthday came along; some of her friends from work invited her to a place called 'Cotton Candy Cloud 9' which also happened to host karaoke nights every two weeks.

Holly loved to sing, but she was terrified about singing in public. Then she thought maybe she would just go and hang out and that would be it. So she got herself cleaned up, put on her favorite dress, and went out to meet up with her friends. By the time she walked inside, she saw her friends and practically everyone else wearing cute but cheesy party hats.

"Happy Birthday!" They cheered.

"Wow! Thanks, you guys. You shouldn't have." Holly said embarrassedly. "No, I mean it. You really _shouldn't_ have."

"I know you don't like to make a big deal about things, but we couldn't resist." One of Holly's friends, Fern said. " _And_ we know how much you love to sing, so…"

"You didn't."

"We did."

"You wouldn't."

"We would."

"No, not that; _anything_ but that. Please, no! Fern, girls? No, no, no!"

"Would a Miss Holly Somers come up onto the stage?" The host of the restaurant said over the intercom.

Holly grimaced and tried to hide herself, she didn't want to go on stage and sing in front of everyone. But her friends grabbed her arms and they pushed her up onto the stage next to the host. She started to sweat and her legs were beginning to shake as the lyrics of her favorite song "Somebody to Love" started to appear on a nearby screen. In a terrified and shaky voice, she began to sing.

" _Can anybody…_ " She started.

" _Find me…_

 _Somebody to love?_

 _Each morning I get up I die a little_

 _Can't barely stand on my feet_

 _Take a look in the mirror_

 _And cry, lord what you're doing to me_

 _I've spent all my years believing in you_

 _But I just can't get no relief_

 _Won't somebody_

 _Somebody_

 _Can anybody find me_

 _Somebody to love_ "

As the people watched, Holly started to feel a little more comfortable and she was now singing louder.

" _Got no feel I got no rhythm_

 _I just keep losing my beat_

 _I'm okay, I'm alright_

 _Ain't gonna face no defeat_

 _I just gotta get out of this prison cell_

 _One day I'm gonna be free_

 _Lord, somebody_

 _Somebody_

 _Can anybody find me_

 _Somebody to love_ "

Soon, Holly started to get more and more into the song, so much so that she didn't even notice someone knew enter the restaurant.

" _Every day_

 _I try and I try and I try_

 _But everybody wants to put me down_

 _They say I'm going crazy_

 _They say I got a lot of water in my brain_

 _Got no common sense_

 _I've got nobody left to believe in_

 _Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, YEAH!_ "

As she danced across the stage, everyone in the audience cheered and applauded for Holly. But before she could finish, she suddenly tripped over her own feet and she fell right off the stage… and landed in the arms of a man she didn't recognize. Her eyes widened when she met his.

" _Somebody to love…_ " She finished just as the song came to a close.

The audience applauded for her the moment the song ended; Holly was still being held bridal-style by the stranger.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah! Yeah, I'm fine." Holly replied. "You know you can put me down now, right?"

"Oh yeah! Of course, sorry." The stranger said as he gently put Holly back down on the floor.

"That's okay. Thanks for the save, by the way." She said.

"You're welcome. Uh… nice song."

"Nice… catch."

"Nice dress."

"Nice coat."

"Nice eyes."

"Nice hair."

Holly then noticed the man's eye color; his eyes were purple, something she hadn't seen before. The stranger cleared his throat and asked,

"Miss? Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Hmm? Was I staring? Oh! Uh, sorry about that. It's just… there's something about your eyes." Holly replied.

"What about my eyes?" He asked.

"They're… purple." She answered.

"Yeah, I know. It's just a genetic defect, no big deal."

"What's it called?"

"It's called Alexandria's Genesis… It makes my eyes a bright purple color; I've had it since I was born and it's actually kinda rare… and a little embarrassing."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was a kid, everyone else laughed at me or thought I was wearing colored contacts all the time… and they usually made fun of me."

"Well, _I_ wouldn't laugh or make fun of you. I like your eye color."

"Really?"

"Of course. I think that's… beautiful."

"Well… thank you."

"You're welcome. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen eyes like yours since…"

Holly's smile faded when a thought from her childhood suddenly popped into her head.

"Since what?" The stranger asked.

"…Have we met before?" Holly suddenly asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because… I used to know somebody with purple eyes like yours. We used to be pretty close."

"I see. Can you describe this friend for me?"

"Sure I can. He wore braces and this huge headgear thing all the time when he was a kid. But he was really nice and very funny and he absolutely LOVED candy, so much so that he wanted a career revolving around it."

The stranger's eyes widened at what he was hearing.

"Was this friend's name _Willy_?" He asked; Holly's eyes widened as she looked back at him.

"How did you know? Unless…" Holly said before realizing what he was trying to say. She looked at him with a shocked expression on her face.

"…Willy? Is… is that…?"

"Hi, Holly." Willy said before the two wrapped their arms around each other in a hug.

"You wanna stay for some cake?" Holly whispered in his ear.

"Of course I do." Willy whispered back.

By now, Holly had blown out her birthday candles and everyone was enjoying a slice of cake; she and Willy were sitting together at a table in a far corner of the restaurant.

"Where have you been? What have you been doing with yourself all this time?" Holly asked after swallowing a bite out of cake.

"Just stuff, mostly." Willy replied, taking a big bite out of his slice of cake. "Making up new candy recipes, creating new sweets, selling them to a bunch of people, becoming rich and successful, you know."

"Wow. You've certainly been busy, haven't you?"

"What can I say? I've become quite the savvy businessman. What about _you_? What have _you_ been doing since I last saw you?"

"Well, I graduated high school a few years back, I got a steady job and a decent apartment, and I've been getting better and better at baking."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I've been making a lot of things, but my favorites usually consist of chocolate."

"Is that so?"

Willy smiled as he took a pen out of his coat and jotted something on a nearby napkin. He passed it to Holly as he said,

"If you like chocolate, come to this address whenever you can."

Holly took the napkin and read it to herself before looking back at Willy with a curious smile.

"I hope I see you there soon." He said before standing up and walking away.

Holly watched Willy as he headed towards the door, but he looked back at her and gave her a smile and a quick wave before vanishing from view. She smiled and waved back before she noticed her friends giving her suspicious looks.

"What?" She asked.

"So, who was he?" Fern asked.

"Who was what?" Holly asked innocently.

"C'mon! Don't be coy with us, girl." Another girl, Brooke, said. "Who was that guy you were just talking to?"

"You mean Willy? He's… just a friend from grade school." Holly replied, putting the napkin into her purse.

"Is that all?" A third girl, Margaret, asked. "Are you sure he isn't some… _love_ interest we never knew about?"

"WHAT?! Me and Willy?! Pfft! No way! He and I are just friends."

"Are you sure about that?"

Holly groaned and covered her eyes with her hand in frustration before standing up from her chair in a huff.

"Okay, that's it!" She exclaimed. "I'm going home right now! And don't bother driving me home, I'm gonna take the bus. I'll see you guys at work on Monday."

And with that, Holly grabbed her purse and the rest of her cake and headed out the door. After she made her way up to her apartment, she looked at the address Willy had written on the napkin. It read:

' _Wonka Sweet Shoppe_

 _17293, Cherry Street_ '

'Wonka Sweet Shoppe? That's new…' She thought, looking at her reflection in the mirror.


	7. Wonka's Sweet Shoppe

The next day, Holly got herself ready and went down to the address Willy had given her. When she arrived, she was surprised to see a tiny sweet shop sitting right on the corner of Cherry Street; it was bright and colorful and there were succulent and delectable smells emanating from it. She took a deep breath and walked in, the bell above the door giving a happy jingle. The moment she entered the little shop, Holly was very surprised; the inside of the store was filled with shelves upon shelves of delicious treats, sweets, and candies alike. She went up to the front counter and asked an elderly employee,

"Excuse me, sir?"

"Hello, miss. Welcome to Wonka Sweet Shoppe. How may I help you?" The man asked.

"My name is Holly Somers and I'm looking for a mister Willy Wonka. I… believe I ran into him sometime last night and I wanted to know if he was here or not."

"Oh, of course. He's in the back room. Don't go anywhere, Miss Somers; I'll be right back."

Holly nodded her head and politely smiled before the old man made his way over to the back room; he saw that Willy was taste-testing a new taffy he had just mixed together.

"Mr. Wonka?" He asked.

"Yes?" Willy said, swallowing the bite of taffy.

"There's a young woman who says she wants to see you." The man explained.

"A woman? Did she say her name?" Willy asked.

"Yes, she said her name was Holly Somers. Do you know her?"

"Holly? Yeah. As a matter of fact, I _do_ know her. Tell her to meet me in my office; I'd like to speak with her in private."

"Of course. I'll tell her immediately."

"Thank you."

The old man made his way back to the counter and told Holly, "Mr. Wonka just said that he'd like to speak with you in his office."

"His office? …Okay, got it." Holly said as casually as she could. "And… where is it?"

"If you go to that door on your right, it'll be the last door at the end of a short hall." The man explained.

"Oh, okay. Thank you, mister…"

"Bucket, Joe Bucket."

"Thank you, Mr. Bucket."

"Of course, Miss Somers."

The two shook hands before Holly headed towards the door and walked down the hall. She quickly stopped when she reached a door titled 'Mr. Wonka's Office'.

"Here we are." She said before gently knocking on the door.

"Come in." A voice called from behind it.

Holly opened the door and she smiled when she saw Willy sitting at a desk. His face lit up as he said,

"Hi, Holly."

"Hi, Willy." Holly greeted before entering the office.

"Please, have a seat."

Holly sat down in front of the desk and asked, "So this entire shop is yours, huh?"

"Yep. Do you like it?"

"Are you kidding? It's amazing! I've never seen anything like it!"

"Thank you… I knew you'd like it."

"Well, _I_ knew you had it in you."

"What?"

"That drive, the life-long goal you wanted to reach since childhood; the determination to get what you really want, you know?"

"Oh, that. Well, what can I say? I really believed I could do it and I've had a lot of confidence in myself… thanks to _you_."

"Me? What do you mean?"

"I mean… while I tried to start my business, I always thought of you cheering me on and telling me to not give up. When we were kids, you were the only one who actually supported me… and you always inspired me to do my best. Even while we were apart for all those years, I always felt that you were there right beside me every step of the way… thank you."

"You're welcome."

"And you know something? I really missed you."

Holly blushed and smiled at Willy's comment.

"I… missed you too, Willy." She said. "You know, I usually thought of you while I was busy with life too. I never forgot our play dates, our time in school, everything we did together… I missed that."

"Me too."

The two sat there in awkward silence for a minute or two before they suddenly burst into hysterical laughter for no reason, but they quickly stopped when they felt their fingers brush up against one another. The room was silent; Willy and Holly looked at each other with wide as their cheeks started to turn bright red in embarrassment. Just then, Holly thought of something; she looked back at Willy.

"You know… this might sound a bit weird and really embarrassing, but back in middle school… I used to have a crush on you." She said bluntly.

Willy's eyes widened at what he just heard; he looked back at Holly, his eyes as big as dinner plates.

"What?" He asked, making sure he heard her right.

"I said… I had a crush on you in middle school." She repeated.

"Really…?"

She nodded and gave a tiny, nervous smile.

"Wow… Well that's just… unexpected and… weird."

"I know, I know. I also knew that you could _never_ feel the same way—"

"No, no! It's not that. It's weird because, around the same time… _I_ had a thing for _you_."

Holly's eyes widened and her blush spread from just her cheeks to all over her face; she looked him in the eye.

"You mean it?" She asked.

"Yeah. Actually, I kinda had a _huge_ crush on you since we first met." Willy replied. "You were the only girl that was ever nice to me and really talked to me."

"Wow, that sure is… something…"

"Sure is."

"So what now?"

"Well… now that we know that we used to really like each other… we could, oh I dunno, maybe we could… go out?"

"Go out? You mean like… go out on a _date_?"

"Yeah. I mean if you really want to. I totally understand if you're not up for it—"

"What? No, no, no! That… would actually be… _great_."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I… I'd _love_ to go out with you."

"Well in that case… great! Let's try something small and simple for a start, so not to attract too much attention."

"You mean like a walk in the park?"

"A walk in the park sounds fantastic. I like the way you think."

"Then it's settled. A walk in the park tomorrow night. Is five okay with you?"

"Yeah, I'm free. I'll see you then."

"Great. See ya."

They smiled and shook hands before Holly sat up from her chair. She was about to walk out the door when Willy stopped her by saying,

"Wait! Before you go… would you like a free sample of my _best_ chocolate?"

Holly turned around to see Willy holding a chocolate bar in his hand. She took the bar and smiled; it had his last name on it in big, bright, and bold letters. She smiled at him.

"Thank you… Mister Wonka." She said with a wink before going out the door.


	8. First Date

The next day, Holly was getting herself ready for her date with Willy. She brushed her hair, cleaned her face, and got herself dressed. She checked her watch and saw that it was a quarter to five. She headed out the door and calmly walked down the sidewalk; good thing she lived so close to the park. By the time she arrived, Willy was waiting for her by the gate in a black coat and his hat off. She smiled and waved at him.

"Holly, you made it. And right on time." Willy said, checking his wrist watch.

"I guess it's a good thing my apartment building is only a short walk away from here." Holly said, shrugging her shoulders and smiling.

"Sure is. Wow, you look… great."

"Thanks; you too."

"Why, thank you. Shall we?" Willy offered his arm to Holly in a gentlemanly manner; she promptly took said arm with a sly grin.

"We shall." She giggled before making their way through the park.

As they walked, the pair talked and laughed throughout the length of the evening, telling stories and/or jokes and sharing their many new interests. And soon enough, they began to break the ice, remembering how much they had in common with each other; they talked for almost an hour about their favorite sweets, confections, and recipes alone. After a while, they sat down on a small bench near the fountain.

"Thank you so much for this wonderful night, Willy." Holly said. "To be honest, I had no idea how this was going to go."

"Really? _I_ was thinking the same thing." Willy chuckled, causing Holly to laugh along with him.

"But… I'm really glad I ran into you."

Holly's soft grin made her face glow to Willy; a faint blush started to form on his cheeks. He nodded and gave a small smile.

"…Me too. But to be frank, I honestly didn't really expect you to come. After leaving on the night of that sleepover, I figured you would never want to see me again."

"Willy, that's crazy talk. Sure I was a little upset that you left and didn't tell me beforehand, but you know that I never hold grudges. Forgive and forget, you know?"

"Yeah, sure… Hey, I was wondering… if you would like to do something like this again sometime. We don't have to come back here, but it's your choice."

Holly thought for a brief moment; she smiled before leaning in and gently planting a kiss on Willy's cheek.

"I'd love to."

When Holly arrived back at her apartment, she could hardly believe what just happened. She met her childhood friend on a date… and it actually went very well. She had so much fun talking and laughing with Willy just like they used to. As she brushed her teeth and got into bed, Holly began to wonder what was in store for her and Willy. Would they get together or just remain friends? She had no idea; it was too soon for her to tell. She turned off her lamp light and drifted off to sleep.


	9. Confessing Their Feelings

Over time, Willy and Holly started spending time together more frequently. Be it for a casual chat or even out on a date, Holly always felt at home when talking with Willy; she felt so calm and relaxed when talking or just being around him. After four straight years of dating, they immediately decided to become boyfriend and girlfriend. All of Willy's employees were shocked to see their boss hanging out with this mystery woman and they had no idea what to expect; Mr. Joe Bucket, on the other hand, was glad to see his gracious employer so happy, especially with such a nice lady like Holly.

One evening, Willy and Holly were sitting on a hill and they were watching the sun set.

"Happy fifteenth anniversary, sugar lips." Willy said as he put a stunning golden necklace around Holly's neck.

"What? Fifteenth? That is WAY longer than we've been together." Holly giggled.

"Yeah I know, but _this_ is the anniversary of the first day we've met."

"Oh you…"

"It's totally okay if you didn't get me anything."

"Actually… I did."

It was then that Holly took a ukulele out of her bag and smiled.

"A ukulele? For me?" Willy joked. "But I don't know how to play."

"Quiet, you." Holly laughed before beginning to play; she wrote Willy a song and this was the perfect time to sing it.

" _We were far apart in every way_

 _But you were the best part of my day_

 _And sure as I breathe the air_

 _I know we are the perfect pair_

 _On a rocky road that goes on for miles_

 _But it's worth it just to see you smile_

 _And I cannot be pulled apart_

 _From the hold you have on my heart_

 _And even if the world tells us it's wrong_

 _You're in my head like a catchy song_ "

"Whoa…" Willy said, his eye wide with wonder.

"Do you like it? Please be honest here." Holly said, still playing.

"Are you kidding? It's the best gift you've ever given me! I love it!"

Holly smiled and continued to sing.

" _The seasons change and leaves may fall_

 _But I'll be with you through them all_

 _And rain or shine, you'll always be mine_

 _On a rocky road that goes on for miles_

 _You're the only one who makes it all worthwhile_

 _And you should not blame me, too_

 _If I can't help falling in love with you…_ "

Holly immediately stopped playing the moment she sang those last few words; a bright blush had already formed on her cheeks as she looked at Willy.

"Wait… what?" He asked.

"Uh, um…" Holly stuttered.

"No fair! _I_ was going to tell _you_ the exact same thing!"

"What? No, you weren't!"

"Yes, I was! Come on!"

Willy then took off his hat and covered Holly's eyes with it; he took her hand and he carefully led her through the park to the same bench they sat on while on their first date. When Holly looked, she gasped. The bench had a message written on it: it read "H + W". Holly smiled as her eyes filled up with tears; she looked up at Willy.

"Surprise." He said.

"Oh, Willy… I love it." She said.

"Well… _I_ love _you_."

Holly looked Willy straight in the eye before they leaned in and their lips met.


	10. The Proposal (The Wedding)

A year passed since that night. Willy had never felt so happy in his life; at work, he had finally made enough money for him to open his new factory… and he was now closer with Holly than ever before. He had always known what a kind and special girl she was and now that he knew he truly loved her, he hoped that maybe, just maybe, she would be willing to spend the rest of her life with him, together until the end.

On the day Willy opened his brand-new factory, the crowds that stood outside cheered and clapped their hands in applause. He looked at Holly who was clapping her hands and cheering louder than anyone else and he chuckled; he knew that this was the perfect moment to ask her. He waved his hand and called her up front; Holly was confused, but she did it anyway.

When Holly approached Willy, he saw that she looked absolutely radiant; she was wearing her favorite blue dress and her hair was carefully brushed and styled. Everything suddenly went quiet; he took a deep breath.

"Holly Somers?" Willy asked, taking her hand in his own.

"Y-Yes… Willy?" Holly replied nervously.

"Do you love me?"

Holly's eyes widened and a bright blush formed on her cheeks; she smiled.

"Y… Yes."

It was then that Willy knelt down on one knee, took a small box out of his coat pocket, opened it, and held it up to Holly; inside the box was an absolutely beautiful ring. Everyone gasped in shock as Holly said nothing. She stared at her old friend in surprise; tears were welling up in her eyes.

"And would you be willing to take my hand in marriage and make me the happiest man in the entire world?" He asked.

By now, tears of joy were running down Holly's face; she stared at Willy.

"Yes, yes, yes!" She cried before he grinned and placed the ring onto her slender finger.

Willy stood straight before Holly wrapped her arms around him and pressed her lips against his; the crowd roared with applause.

It was official: Willy Wonka is now engaged.

On the day of the wedding, which took place a few months after the Wonka Chocolate Factory opened, everything was perfect; even the day itself. There was not a single cloud in the sky and it was not too hot and not too cold. The weather was simply perfect today and helped both Willy _and_ Holly start creating some memories of their big day.

Everyone who was anyone was invited, even Holly's family and Willy's most trustworthy employees. Willy was already standing at the altar, all dressed up in a newly tailored suit, perfectly shined black shoes, and his best top hat. He looked very handsome, having his hair cleanly kept and brushed, just for today. The music started and the doors opened for Holly.

Holly entered the room, wearing the most beautiful gown anyone has ever seen. Willy's eyes widened as he watched his childhood friend, now fiancé, walk down the aisle with her father escorting her down. He was fascinated by how beautiful she looked right now and found it very difficult to keep his eyes off her.

Holly finally reached the altar and stood next to Willy until she was nose to nose with him; he gently removed her veil to reveal her beautiful face before they both turned to face the mayor who smiled and cleared his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, dearly beloved…" The mayor proudly announced. "We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Willy and Holly have met in the fourth grade and since then, they've always been together. Playing together, laughing together, and even studying together. Especially in tough times, they have always been there for each other. And can I just say that I have _never_ seen a union as strong and committed as this one before me."

Willy and Holly beamed at each other.

"Do you, Willy Wonka, take Holly Somers to be your lawful wedded wife, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" The mayor recited.

"I do." Willy nodded.

"And do you, Holly Somers, take Willy Wonka to be your lawful wedded husband, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" The mayor asked Holly.

"I do." Holly blushed.

"Then by the power vested in me, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife." The mayor declared. "The rings, please."

Holly's young nephew brought forth the rings, resting on a velvet pillow. They each took a ring and placed it onto each other's fingers.

"You may now kiss the bride."

The couple embraced in a long, sweet kiss. The crowd cheered loudly. Willy and Holly then led the assembled guests out of the town hall and into the park that was right next door, where the reception began.

As was the custom, Holly and Willy made the first cut of the wedding cake. They fed each other the first two slices, getting a fair amount of frosting on their faces, to everyone's amusement. After the cake came the dancing. As the music played and the lights flared, Willy spun and dipped his new bride, before pulling her in close.

"Not bad, huh?" He smiled.

"Almost as good as me." Holly joked before giving him a wink.

After a few more minutes of dancing, the couple sat down on the same bench that had their initials painted on it. Willy smiled as Holly rested her head on his shoulder; he wrapped his arm around her.

"Perfect." He whispered.

"What's perfect?" The bride asked.

"Everything."

They leaned in and shared another kiss.

All too soon, the celebrations wound down. Willy and Holly headed for the limo that would take them to the airport, and from there, their honeymoon destination at Switzerland (which Willy calls the chocolate capital of the world). Excitedly closing her eyes tight, Holly hurled her bouquet over her head and into the air. When she turned around, she saw that a woman with graying blonde hair had snatched the bouquet from somebody else in a rather brutal and forceful way; for some odd reason, that woman was giving Holly a rather nasty and hateful glare, but she quickly shrugged it off the moment Willy took her hand.

On that heartfelt note, Holly and Willy climbed into the waiting limo. They waved to their friends and families, who enthusiastically waved back. The crowd cheered and waved after it, until it vanished over the horizon. Inside, Willy and Holly were snuggled up together, exhausted from their big day.

"This has been the best day of my life." Willy declared.

"Mine too." Holly kissed him on the cheek.

"And now comes the honeymoon." Willy smiled. "Just you and me, husband and wife, in the gorgeous snow-covered chocolate capital of the world."

"Can't wait." Holly nuzzled him. "Love you."

"Love you too." Willy put an arm around her.

They cuddled each other happily. Their big day had gone by without a hitch, and now they had the rest of their lives to look forward to, together.

After a nice quiet stay in Paris, where they went out sightseeing during the day, and cuddled in their hotel room at night, Willy and Holly returned home as husband and wife. Holly had all her belongings moved out of her old apartment and into Willy's chocolate factory. The couple led a happy life, just them living together as well as running a business and a factory together.


	11. Holly's Discovery

As time went by, Willy's business and his chocolate factory was very successful and prosperous, making more and more money by the day. He was even commissioned by an Indian prince to create an entire palace out of nothing but chocolate; of course Willy was true to his word, but said palace didn't last long. The prince requested a new palace but after a while, Willy and Holly had started facing problems of their own.

Spies were sent into the factory disguised as normal workers to steal Willy's secret recipes for all kinds of sweets. After two years, he finally couldn't take it anymore. So one day, without warning, Willy sent every single one of his workers home and he sadly announced that he was closing his chocolate factory for good. It was certainly a devastating time, but there was one person in this world he knew would never betray him: his beloved wife and best friend, Holly.

Since the factory closed, Holly would always give Willy all the comfort she could give with moral support and endless hugs and kisses; she knew how hard it must've been for her husband to close the thing he had worked so hard for, but she stood by him every minute telling him that things would get better… and eventually, they did.

About six months after the factory closed, Willy decided to go somewhere new. Holly was sad to see her husband leave, but he reassured her that he would be right back and everything would be fine. And to her surprise, he _did_ come back within a few short months. She excitedly greeted him with a big hug and lots of kisses, but she was very surprised to see that Willy had brought something back with him… new workers.

Willy explained to her that these small men were Oompa-Loompas and they come from a small island called Loompaland; Holly had never heard of this place or these creatures before, but she was very excited and happy for her husband. After a long time with the Oompa-Loompas, Holly had started to accept them and she was proud to call them her friends.

But after a while, Holly had started to feel very strange; she would often get strong pains in her stomach along with pretty bad nausea and she also started to feel very dizzy and tired. She often looked as pale as a blanket of snow and she would also lose her appetite most of the time. This greatly concerned Willy; he hadn't the slightest idea of why his wife was acting like this.

One morning, Holly felt even worse than she had before. She was kneeling on her hands and knees on the floor in front of the toilet in the bathroom in her and Willy's bedroom and heaving the contents of her stomach into it; her stomach beginning to ache from the force of her vomiting. She gasped and panted heavily as it stopped.

Holly slumped over to rest her back on the far wall, trying to figure out what was wrong with her; she couldn't remember the last time she had felt so miserable. She had been like this for almost an entire month now and she had no idea why. She closed her eyes and ran a hand through her hair as she took a few shaky breaths.

'What the heck is going on with me…?' She asked herself.

A light knock at the door snapped Holly back to reality and told her that Willy was finally awake. She grimaced in fright.

"Holly? Honey, are you okay?" Willy's concerned voice asked from behind the door.

"Uh… Yeah, I'm fine, Willy." She lied.

"Are you sure? Because—"

"Yes! I'm perfectly fine, sweetheart; I'm just… just a little…"

"A little what?"

Holly gripped her midsection with her arm and her eyes widened; she started gagging.

"Oh no." She tried to say. "Not again."

"Not what again?" Willy asked, knocking even louder. "Holly, what is going on in there?"

"You… you don't wanna know." Holly croaked out.

"Uh, yes I do."

"No really, you don't."

"Yeah, I do!"

"No, you DON'T!"

'Okay, that's it. I'm going in.' Willy said to himself before opening the door.

The moment she heard the door click open, Holly suddenly and violently vomited into the toilet yet again, just in time for Willy to barge in and see everything. His eyes widened and his face made a horrified grimace as he watched; he tried to look away, but he couldn't. When she finally stopped, Holly slowly tuned her head to see her husband giving her a very worried look. Her eyes softened when she met his gaze.

"I can explain…" She started before Willy went over to her.

He grabbed a damp washcloth from the sink and handed to her; she gradually wiped her mouth of any remaining vomit before Willy wrapped his arm around her. He finally got a better look at her; Holly's complexion was as pale as a ghost's, her hair was a mess, and she had dark circles under her eyes.

"Holly, what on Earth was that all about?" He asked. "Man, you look terrible. Are you sick?"

"Ugh, honestly… I have no idea." She answered through the washcloth.

"Get yourself cleaned up. I'm taking you down to the factory infirmary right away so we can find out what's wrong with you."

"What? No, no; Willy, you really don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do. I can't stand to see you like this."

Holly thought about what Willy said for a good few moments and realized that it would be wise of her to take this offer; she looked back at him and nodded her head.

"Okay, fine." She said.

Willy smiled and gently brushed some of her hair out of her eyes.

Later that morning, Holly was taken down to the infirmary to be examined by an Oompa-Loompa doctor; Willy was left to wait outside, unfortunately. After half an hour, the tiny man finally found the root of the problem and what he discovered gave Holly the shock of her life.

'What would Willy think?' She constantly asked herself.

As soon as she opened the door and walked out of the room, she found Willy standing nearby, eager to learn the severity of her condition.

"So, what'd the doctor say?" He asked. "Is it anything serious?"

"You _could_ say that, sure." Holly nodded, her face impassive.

"Then, what's wrong?" Willy asked worriedly.

"Uh… can we go somewhere more _private_ to talk about this?" She suggested.

"Oh, of course. C'mon, let's go back to our room; we can talk there."

"Okay."

As they walked through the corridors, Holly kept quiet, unsure of what to say next; Willy began to worry all over again.

"Holly, what's going on?" He asked as soon as they entered the bedroom. "You haven't spoken a word since we left the infirmary. What's wrong?"

"Uh… You might want to sit down for this, Willy."

Wily sat down on the bed with Holly following in suit; she folded her hands in her lap and looked away from him.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Well, I'm not sick." She declared. "But the thing is… I… Oh gosh, I just don't know how to say this."

"Say what?"

"I… I… This is so hard."

"What's so hard? Holly, whatever this is, I _need_ to know; you can't leave me in the dark. And besides, you can tell me _anything_. Now come on, tell me what's going on with you. Please?"

"Okay, fine. I'll tell you. Just _please_ don't freak out. The truth is… I-I'm… pregnant."

"Sorry, what'd you say?"

"I'm pregnant."

"I still can't hear you, sweetie."

"I… I said I'm _PREGNANT_! There, I said it! Satisfied, happy?"

Willy's jaw dropped and his eyes widened at what he just heard.

"What? Is… is this _true_? You… you're really…"

Holly solemnly nodded her head and said nothing. Willy blinked a few times; his eyes glanced down at Holly's stomach, then back at her face.

'Here it comes…' Holly thought, closing her eyes tight.

"Wow… Well, this is just… so unexpected and… weird." He said.

"I knew you'd be angry with me." She replied.

But then, Holly's eyes flew open when she noticed Willy hugging her tightly and spinning around the floor while laughing and cheering enthusiastically. She was speechless; why was her husband acting so thrilled at this? Was he trying to trick her?

"Willy? Are you okay?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Am I okay? Am I OKAY?!" Willy exclaimed. "I've never been better! I don't think I've been so excited in my entire life!"

"Excited? …About what?"

"About _you_ , of course! You just said that you were _pregnant_!"

"Yeah, so?"

Willy stopped spinning and looked Holly dead in the eye.

"What do you mean 'Yeah, so'?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sorry, honey; but I just thought you'd be _angry_ with me about this." Holly replied bluntly.

"What?! Why would you think _that_?"

"Well… I know having a baby is a pretty big life-changing thing and I also know that you've always had such a bleak outlook on families, so I just thought—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold it right there."

Willy put his finger to Holly's lips; they sat back down on the edge of the bed.

"Holly, please don't say these things." He said. "I know this is a huge step for us to take, but it's not like we can't handle life-changing events by _now_. We got married a few years ago and _that_ was pretty big, wasn't it?"

"Well… yeah."

" _And_ we're running an entire business together and isn't that big, too?"

"Of course it is, but—"

"No buts. Look, I may not know a lot about taking care of a baby, but I'm willing to learn everything I can. Plus, I'm absolutely sure we can get through this whole thing as long as we do it _together_."

"Together?"

"Together."

Holly's eyes softened as she gazed into her husband's big purple eyes; she wrapped her arm around her stomach.

"Thanks, Willy. I'm so glad you understand." She said.

"Anytime, sugar pie. Now come over here and give me a hug." He replied, holding his arms out.

Holly smiled and wrapped her arms around Willy as she closed her eyes; he did the same to her. All they had to do now was wait and let nature take its course.


	12. Define 'Overprotective'

Over the next few weeks, Holly's pregnancy wore on, even though she had a bit of a hard time handling with the morning sickness. She would vomit a few times almost every single day and sometimes the smell or even the very thought or mention of food would make her sick; she didn't want to eat anything since she figured she would just throw it back up again later, but she also knew that it was very important for her to eat. She was also really tired during the day and often took naps. After the first four months, the morning sickness and fatigue had finally disappeared altogether, much to her relief.

As more time went by, Holly thought that she should be suffering from violent, crazy mood swings sometime soon, but luckily she didn't. However, her appetite has increased; she would often get cravings for different kinds of food, but her all-time favorite thing to eat was her husband's candy… especially the chocolate.

One night, Willy was in bed reading a book on how to be a good parent when Holly walked into the room, her now rounded middle hanging out. She walked over to the bed, looked at the cover of her husband's book, and smirked at him.

"What are you reading?" She asked.

Willy quickly closed his book and tried to hide it as he said, "Nothing."

"Is that a parenting book?" Holly asked as she sat down in bed next to her husband.

"…Maybe." He responded as nonchalantly as he could.

He glanced at his wife who was giving him a look he couldn't quite read.

"What? One can't be too careful… right?" Willy said, shrugging his shoulders nervously.

Holly sighed and shook her head before saying, "Willy, I know you're worried about me and the baby, but don't you think you're going a little overboard here?"

"Uh… Define 'overboard'."

"No offense, but you _have_ been pretty overprotective lately."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember dinner? I reached out for a knife and you snatched it away just before I could grab it saying that I could accidentally cut myself. I can handle a _butter_ knife just fine."

"Uh, well…"

"And what about a couple days ago? I nearly tripped in the Chocolate Room and you thought I'd seriously hurt the baby if I fell. But I caught myself before I _did_ fall, didn't I?"

"Well… yeah, you did, but—"

"But nothing. Look Willy; I know you're excited about this, _I_ am too. But you need to take this whole thing down a notch; I may be pregnant but I'm not helpless, you know."

Willy sighed and put a hand over his face in embarrassment; he put his book down and turned his head to face her.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Holly." He said. "I just can't help it. This is going to be my first time being an _actual_ parent; I hardly know what to do in a situation like this and right now, I need all the help I can get… Plus, I won't be able to forgive myself if anything bad happened to you _or_ our baby. I just want you to be healthy and safe, _both_ of you."

Holly scooted closer to Willy and gave him a kiss on the cheek; she gave him a loving look.

"I appreciate that, Willy." She said. "But next time something happens, try not to make a big deal out of it, okay?"

"Okay, I'll try my best. But for now…" He sighed, leaning closer to his wife; she smiled and leaned in closer to him.

Before their lips could touch however, Holly gasped and her eyes widened when she suddenly felt something; she put her hands to her stomach.

"Holly? W-what is it? What's wrong?" Willy asked worriedly.

"Willy… it's the baby." Holly said in an excited whisper. "It… it's kicking. I can feel it."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah. Here, give me your hand. Quick."

"Uh…"

Holly sighed in slight annoyance and grabbed Willy's wrist. Then she took off his glove and placed his bare hand on top of her stomach.

"Hey! What are you—?"

"Shush! Just wait…"

The two of them sat like that for a few long moments of silence until finally, Willy felt something underneath his hand. His eyes widened and he almost gasped in response; he almost couldn't believe that there really was a real living thing inside of his wife. He looked at Holly who was staring back him with a thrilled expression on her face.

"Feel it?" She asked.

"Yeah, yeah I do. Wow, that's… that's really something. It's amazing!" Willy replied, his eyes wide with wonder.

"I know." Holly softly giggled.

Willy pulled her closer to him and kissed the side of her head; Holly smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." She replied.

Then Willy looked down at his hand, still resting on Holly's belly; he smiled.


	13. Picking Names

A month passed since that night. One day, Willy and Holly were taking a stroll through the Chocolate Room, which was like a beautiful sugarcoated landscape where everything was eatable… even the walkway and grass. They were sitting on the chocolate river's edge next to the waterfall when suddenly, a thought popped into Holly's head; she looked at her husband.

"Willy?" She began. "Which are you hoping for?"

Willy turned his head to look at Holly; he had a rather confused look on his face.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"What are you expecting the baby to be? A boy or a girl?"

Willy looked over at her, pausing for a moment. In thinking about it, he couldn't believe that they hadn't discussed this yet. They sat down on a patch of candy grass near the colossal chocolate waterfall and looked at each other.

"Oh, well… I guess I'll be happy either way." He replied. "It really doesn't matter to me. What about you?"

"Yeah, I guess it doesn't matter to me either…"

Suddenly, there was a bit of a pause. After a minute or two of silence, Holly looked at her husband and asked,

"Honey, are you alright?"

"Yeah, why?" Willy replied.

"Uh… because a few seconds ago, you just started shoving little blades of candy grass into your mouth."

"Did I?"

Holly pointed her finger at a tiny patch of grass in front of Willy; he looked and he immediately blushed when he saw that quite a bit of neon green grass was gone. Holly laughed as she reached out and took a few bits of grass away from her husband's lips; Willy smiled as she did so.

"Sorry." He said. "I was just thinking about something."

"About what?" Holly asked, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"Well, what if we had a son and he… turned out like _me_?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I just thought… what if our baby turns out to be just as _weird_ as I am? What if…?"

"Willy, please don't talk like that. I'd welcome a son who was just like you."

"Really?"

"Of course. There's nothing wrong with you; your quirks and silliness are what make you special. I love you just the way you are."

Willy smiled and let out a soft chuckle before Holly thought of something else.

"For that matter…" She added after a moment. "What if we had a daughter that was like _me_?"

Willy cocked his head the side, a bit surprised.

"In my eyes, that would be _great_." He said. "I think the world needs more people like you. Another Holly would be a _real_ asset."

Holly laughed quietly as Willy wrapped his arm around her; she reached out and gave him a pat on the back.

"And so would another Willy." She declared, ending the conversation and leaving Willy with a very warm feeling. She suddenly thought of something else. "Hey, speaking of which, do you have any ideas on what to name the baby?"

"Name it?" Willy asked. "Well, I don't know. I haven't really thought about that until now."

Holly's eyes suddenly lit up as she had an epiphany.

"Hey, I know what we can do. What do you say we pick out two names, one if it's a boy and one if it's a girl? What do you think?"

"Good idea."

Willy smiled and put a gloved hand on Holly's belly, and felt the now-familiar (but no less remarkable) movements; she scooted closer to him.

"How about Wallace or Wesley?" He suggested; Holly shook her head.

"Nah, sorry. I never really liked the sound of either one of those." She said, putting her hand on his.

"That's okay… You know, I don't think _I_ like those names either… That's what I get for trying to think of names that start with 'W'."

Holly giggled before she thought of something.

"Maybe Zachary or Jeremy?" She asked.

Willy grimaced and shook his head.

"No. Sorry dear, but there are WAY too many Zach's in the world. Plus, I never liked the name 'Jeremy' anyway. It sounds too… eugh." He replied.

"Yeah, good point. Can you come up with anything else… maybe something that _doesn't_ start with 'W'?"

"Haha, very funny. Let me think… How about Cody? David? No, those sound awful. Maybe… Ian?"

"Not bad… Oh! How about Louie? I've always liked that name."

"Louie, huh? Louie Wonka… I rather like the sound of that! And what about girls' names?"

"Okay, let me see… maybe Autumn or Summer?"

"Sorry, but no. I'd rather have a kid who's _not_ named after one of the four seasons… same goes for the days of the week."

"Okay, okay; fair enough. Do _you_ have any ideas, Mr. Expert?"

"Perhaps I have a _few_ …"

"Really? Well, tell me."

"How about Dawn?"

"I dunno."

"Lindsey?"

"No, too common."

"Peyton?"

"Hot listing… but no."

"Rebecca?"

"Not bad."

"Melody?"

"Maybe…"

Willy chuckled before he suddenly thought of the perfect name.

"I've got it! How about Charlotte? I've always thought it was a pretty name. Plus, it sounds a lot like chocolate, doesn't it?"

"Hmmm, Charlotte Wonka… Has a nice ring to it."

"Then that's it; Louie for a boy and Charlotte for a girl."

The decisions were sealed with a shared smile and a quick, gentle kiss; Willy rubbed his wife's belly as Holly scooted even closer to her husband.


	14. The Birth of Charlotte

It was now Holly's ninth and final month of her pregnancy; her due date was coming up… and fast. She and Willy finished painting the nursery and ordered all the supplies they needed. One night, Holly and Willy were in bed side by side in silence for a good few minutes until Willy finally spoke.

"Holly, sweetie?" He began, putting his book down and looking at his wife. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course." Holly said as she turned her head to face her husband. "What is it?"

"To be honest, I… was _terrified_ of being a dad. I felt like I wasn't equipped or good enough to take care of a kid." He admitted. "But then after you told me you were expecting… I couldn't be any happier and now, I think our baby couldn't come soon enough."

"So… what are you saying?" Holly asked.

"I'm saying… I feel like I'm ready to be a father."

Holly smiled, grasped her husband's hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm glad to hear that, dear… because _I_ sorta felt the exact same way, once upon a time." She said.

"Really?"

"Yep. When I first found out, I thought that I wouldn't be a good mom. But now that our baby will be here soon, I've never been more excited _and_ terrified in my life."

"Well, I'm just glad we're both on the same page here."

"Yeah, me too…"

Holly let out a soft yawn, Willy quickly followed in suit. They shared a few giggles before turning off the light.

"Goodnight, Holly."

"Goodnight, Willy."

They shared a quick kiss and drifted to sleep. Who knows when the baby will come, but the couple knew that he or she would arrive very soon… wouldn't it?

The next morning, Holly woke up before Willy; she looked at the wall clock and saw that it was already 9:15. Then she turned her head to see her husband still sleeping soundly by her side; she smiled and decided to let him continue to sleep before carefully climbing out of bed. She quietly made her way over to the bathroom to freshen up, but no sooner had she made it to the sink than she felt something in her abdomen. She gripped her stomach and leaned on the sink; she tried her best not to scream but a cry in pain escaped from her throat before she could stop it… the cry was enough to make her husband fully wake up. Willy yawned, sat up in bed, stretched, and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before glancing towards the bathroom.

"Holly?" He asked, another yawn escaped from his throat. "What's going on in there? Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"Willy?" Holly panted, turning her head to face Willy with wide eyes. "I… I think it's time."

"Time?" Willy said before quickly realizing what she meant. "You… you mean…?"

"Yep… The baby's coming."

Trying his best not to panic, Willy went to the nightstand by the bed and took a walkie-talkie out of the drawer. He turned it on and said into it,

"Code red, code red! Any and all available Oompa-Loompas report to my bedroom ASAP! The baby is coming! I repeat: THE BABY IS COMING!"

He put down the walkie-talkie and went back to the bathroom to help his wife. She tried her very best to walk over to the door, but then a group of Oompa-Loompas came in; she and Willy each let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness you're here. I need you guys to take Holly down to the infirmary as quick as you can." Willy ordered; the little men agreed without hesitation.

"W-Willy?" Holly asked.

"Don't worry, dear. I'll meet you down there, I promise."

Holly nodded before she vanished from view with the Oompa-Loompas. Willy then threw open his closet door and slapped on a random button-up shirt and vest, a pair of pants, one of his many coats, and a pair of socks and shoes as quickly as he could. Without even combing his hair, washing his face, or brushing his teeth, Willy ran straight out the door towards the Great Glass Elevator which was standing only a few feet away from his and Holly's room. But in his haste, he accidentally slammed into the glass doors face-first and landed flat on his back.

"Okay, _that_ could've gone a lot smoother…" He muttered to himself in annoyance. "Thank goodness nobody saw that."

Regaining his composure, he pushed a button and the door opened, allowing him to enter. The moment he walked in, his eyes frantically searched the wall of buttons for the one that would take him straight to the factory infirmary and he was relieved to have finally spotted it; he pressed it and he was on his way.

Then he finally arrived at the infirmary. The door was closed and Willy was about to grab the handle, open it, and go in until an Oompa-Loompa dressed as a doctor stepped in front of him. The little doctor told his boss that Holly was already inside but Willy would have to wait outside until everything was done and over with. As reluctant and peeved as he was at this, Willy agreed to stay out in the hall before the Oompa-Loompa nodded and headed back into the room.

Willy waited in the hall for what felt like hours in a nervous and frantic state, thinking of what might be going on behind the door in front of him. He was obviously worried about his wife and their baby and he didn't know what to expect. He could hear Holly practically screaming her head off from her room, which made him more terrified than ever; by now he was already breaking out in a cold sweat and a couple tears had started to fall from his eyes in horror. For as long as he'd known the Oompa-Loompas, he figured that they had no idea how to deliver a human baby but they were smart, quick learners and they knew how to handle themselves in any given situation. He had faith in them… even though he still had his doubts.

After a few agonizing hours of nothing to do but wait, Willy jolted to his feet when he heard a tiny wailing sound coming from Holly's room. It sounded small, but also high-pitched and very loud. His eyes widened, the realization of what was happening right there and then hitting him like a brick.

'It… it can't be…' He thought.

Suddenly, the door opened and the Oompa-Loompa doctor calmly walked out from the bedroom and went over to his boss.

Willy asked him, "Well?"

The tiny man wiped his brow with a rag and said to Willy (in his native tongue), "Your wife is alright, master. Mrs. Wonka has come through perfectly and she is going to be fine."

A wave of relief sweeping over him, Willy let out a relaxed sigh in response; but then he remembered something.

"And the baby…?" Willy asked.

"…is a girl." The doctor replied.

Willy's eyes widened and his back stiffened at what he just heard (or saw for that matter).

"Say what now?" He asked.

"The baby is a healthy, pretty little girl. Congratulations, great one." The little man said before proudly shaking Willy's finger.

"Thank you. So, can I…?"

"Absolutely, go right in. Just be very quiet."

"Of course."

Willy nodded his head before the doctor walked away and disappeared around a corner; he made his way to the door and slowly entered the room to see Holly sitting up in bed and holding a little bundle in her arms. She looked terribly exhausted but even so, she never looked more beautiful. Almost in awe, Willy just stood there in the doorway for a moment or two, gazing at Holly and their daughter. _Their_ daughter. He nearly fainted at the sight.

"Hi, Willy…" Holly finally said, sounding as though she were ready to laugh and cry all at the same time. "Come and meet our little girl."

Willy had to blink a few times to hold himself together. After taking a deep breath, he slowly walked over to the bed and took a seat on the edge. Holly winced a little as the mattress jostled, but quickly recovered.

"Oh, Holly…" Willy said. "You okay?"

"Yeah, we both are." She replied, smiling down at the baby.

For a good few minutes, neither of them said a word; it didn't really seem necessary to say anything at that moment. All Willy could think about was how, after all this time, he had a family of his own… a _real_ family. From now on, it wasn't just Willy and Holly, but Willy, Holly, and now little _Charlotte_. As gently and carefully as he could, he ran his gloved hand over the baby's head. At his touch, she woke up a little, fidgeting about with her eyes screwed up tight.

"Look at her. Isn't she gorgeous?" Holly asked.

"I've never seen anything so beautiful…" Willy gushed.

"Charlotte Dulce Wonka. What do you think?"

"She's perfect."

By now, Willy began to cry; he almost couldn't believe that his wife and best friend since childhood had been carrying this little thing inside of her for nine months straight. He realized now just how much this child meant to him. It wasn't just a baby; it was his will to live, his reason for waking up every morning. He leaned down and gave his infant daughter a kiss, and then pressed his lips against Holly's cheek. It was a lovely little moment, a memory that Willy would keep with him for the rest of his life. It was then and there that he made a promise to himself and to little Charlotte; he promised to be a much better father to his little girl than his father was to him. He smiled at the baby.

"Would you like to hold her?" Holly asked.

Willy nodded his head and Holly carefully placed the baby girl in his arms. He couldn't help wanting to try the name out a bit, now that there was someone to connect it to.

"Hi there, Charlotte…" He whispered.

Little Charlotte, who was now snoozing peacefully, was the most perfect thing that could ever be imagined: she had her mother's beautiful face and her father's brown hair and fair skin. She looked like a perfect combination between the two of them.

"Our daughter…" Willy lamented.

"I know…" She whispered.

Holly smiled and stroked the baby's smooth little cheek before Willy placed Charlotte back into his wife's arms.

"I love you both so much…" He said with all the affection one could have in their voice.

"I love you too." Holly replied.

He gave Holly a quick kiss before he left her and the baby to get some well-deserved rest. Willy and Holly were now the luckiest people alive, and they truly couldn't be happier. A great new chapter in their lives had just begun and at that moment, they felt more than prepared for it.


	15. The Tragedy (The End)

By the time little Charlotte was only a few months old, she was the sweetest and bubbliest baby you'd ever meet. She wasn't very fussy, she wasn't needy, she hardly threw tantrums; in fact, she was almost perfect. Willy and Holly were always so happy to have their precious little girl and they did their best to make her happy.

Willy had quickly developed a special bond with his daughter, which grew stronger and stronger every day. He loved his new family more than chocolate… and that's saying something. Whenever he wasn't working, Willy would usually spend his free time with Charlotte. One day, Willy decided he wanted to give something special to his daughter. He gave her a heart-shaped locket which contained a family portrait of Willy and his new family.

Then Charlotte's first birthday came along. Willy, Holly, and the Oompa-Loompas were ecstatic at how fast little Charlotte was growing. A party was held and everyone had fun. A few days right after Charlotte's birthday, Holly received a phone call from her mother, asking her to go out into town and have a lunch date with her. She accepted.

"Are you sure about this, Holly?" Willy asked as Holly put on her coat.

"I'm sure, Willy. I haven't spent time with my mother in years and I miss her." Holly replied.

"I know. I'll see you later?"

"Of course."

She gave her husband a kiss on the cheek and left. A few hours had passed and Willy was starting to grow concerned; he was sitting in his office.

'Either something happened or Holly is just having a good time.' He thought before he noticed red and blue light flashing in the corner of his eye.

Willy went over to the window that looked out on the town and saw police lights flashing somewhere; something bad must've happened.

"Oh no! I hope Holly's okay." He said to himself before hearing the phone ring.

He reluctantly picked it up and said, "Hello?"

"H-hello, Willy?"

Willy recognized the voice as Holly's mother; his eyes widened.

"Rosalee? Is that you? What's going on?" He asked worriedly.

"Willy, i-i-it's horrible! It's awful, I-I can't… can't stand it!" Rosalee sobbed.

"What? Uh, okay Rosalee. Calm down, calm down. Take a deep breath, relax. Tell me what happened."

Rosalee told Willy everything… now he wished that she didn't. After their lunch date, Rosalee and Holly were walking down the sidewalk and talking and laughing like there was no tomorrow. She even mentioned Charlotte; Rosalee couldn't be any happier to have a granddaughter. But then another woman came out of nowhere and yelled at Holly; Holly was very confused at why this woman was so angry at her specifically. And then, the woman pushed Holly into the street and… she was hit by an enormous truck. Willy was shocked; any and all color quickly drained from his cheeks.

"I-I… Is she okay?" He asked, hoping for a happy ending to this horrible story.

"…No." Rosalee replied through her sobs. "Paramedics arrived as fast as they could but the moment they got her into the ambulance… she was already dead."

"No… No, no, no, no, no, NO!" Willy screamed as his eyes began to fill up with tears; he fell to his knees onto the floor and dropped the phone as he began to sob.

Holly was buried in the local cemetery, but Willy was so sad that he couldn't bear to see her like that. He and the Oompa-Loompas were all heartbroken; Willy grew quiet and sad, his dearest friend and one true love forever gone.

But then he remembered something: Charlotte. He still had Charlotte to love and look after; he knew he had to raise her on his own from now on. Whenever he wasn't working, Willy would now always spend his free time with his daughter, taking care of her as best as he could and loving her with all his heart and soul. But she reminded him so much of Holly that he couldn't help but think of her every time he looked at her.

But then on the night after Charlotte's second birthday, tragedy struck again. Willy was lying in bed when he heard a scream coming from the room next door; it was Charlotte. He abruptly sat up, his fatherly instincts kicking in.

"Charlotte!" He yelled, hopping out of bed and running out the door. "Don't worry, daddy's coming!"

But the moment he entered the room, he saw a dark figure standing by the window, which was wide open. Willy gasped in horror; he saw Charlotte in the figure's arms.

"Let go of my daughter!" He demanded.

"…You had this coming." The figure said before turning back to the window… and jumped.

Willy ran to the window and looked out, but he couldn't see anything. The figure had completely disappeared… along with his daughter. He felt his heart breaking all over again; first his wife was gone, now his daughter. He looked at the nearby dresser and noticed a note taped to it; Willy unfolded the piece of paper and began to read.

It read: " _Hello, Mr. Willy Wonka._

 _Long time no see, eh? By the time you read this, your precious little girl will be_ _long gone_ _. You brought this on yourself by falling for that little shrew of a woman, Holly Somers. You should've loved me and that little brat you had with her should've been MY daughter if you had picked me. But no, you chose wrong. You deserve this…_

 _Signed, Ethel_ "

'Ethel?' Willy thought before he stared off into space.

Lost memories came flooding back to him; he now vividly remembered Ethel, his former secretary. He remembered that Ethel used to give Holly the most hatful looks whenever she passed by… and then he remembered the day of the wedding. Ethel was the one who was staring daggers at Holly before she and Willy left for the honeymoon. And the last time he encountered her… he remembered the most. He went into his office, only to see Ethel there before he arrived. She was glaring at him; he asked her what was wrong and as gravely as possible, she said, 'Your wife.'

Ethel then proceeded to tell Willy that he should leave Holly and marry her instead; but Willy refused and said that he didn't love her. That made Ethel blow a fuse; she grabbed a stapler from the desk and tackled Willy to the ground, threatening to kill him and everything he held dear. Willy was terrified and confused all at the same time but thinking fast, he pushed Ethel off of his body and she collided into a filing cabinet in another corner of the room. When he got back onto his feet, Willy glared down at her and angrily told her, 'You're relieved of your duties.'

The police ended up getting involved and before Ethel was taken away, she told him, 'I'll get you one day; you WILL regret this.' And the police car drove off with Ethel inside.

Willy dropped the note as even more tears started to rain down his cheeks; he fell to the floor and sobbed. He was now so depressed and sad that he contemplated about closing his chocolate factory again… this time for _good_. But he knew that it wasn't what Holly would've wanted him to do. She would've wanted him to keep going, even though he was grieving. So with a heavy heart, he kept the factory open. And he hopelessly believed that Charlotte might come home again someday.

And whatever happened to little Charlotte? Some say that she's still out there somewhere, growing up without a father or mother in her life. Others say that she had died years ago and she was never heard from again.

Will Mr. Wonka ever see his child again? Or will he _and_ Charlotte be without each other for the rest of their lives? But that is another story…


End file.
